Trimming machine



Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,197

w. J. DE WITTI TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l Wizlz'awziipem Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,197

w. J. DE WlTT TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 17, 1926 a Shets-Sheet 2 l 3 Q 29 a I fzve7zzoz Jan. 29, 1929.

. 1,700,197 w. J. DE WITT TRIMMING MACHINE Filed Aug.17, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

' UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. DE WITT, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

TBIMMING MACHINE.

Application filed August 17, 1926. Serial No.-129,769.

This invention pertains to the manufacture of hollow forms for use in footwear and relates more particularly to apparatus for trimming surplus material from the edges of such forms. to are usually molded from sheet material, for example celluloid, and are employed to preserve the lasted shape of the shoe and to keep it plumped out and freefrom wrinkles while on exhibition or during transportation and storage, such forms being used in large numbers by manufacturers salesmen to keep their sample shoes in proper condition.

According to the preferred mode of manufacture, these forms are molded upon a last, like that upon which the shoe is made, but as it is difiicult to perform the molding operation in such a manner as accurately to determine the position of the upper edge of the form on the last, it is customary to make the form of excessive height and after it has been placed in the shoe with which it is to be associated, to trim the surplus material from the upper edge of'the form so that the edge may register with that of the shoe. Preferably it is trimmed along a line substantially parallel to the edge of the upper and preferably just below said edge, so that the edge of the form is concealed by the shoe upper. This mode of trimming is difficult to perform without damage to the shoe upper, when carried out by means of ordinary tools or mechanism, and the object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism of simple character capable of trimming the form in the manner desired without damage to the shoe upper and without necessitating unusual care or skill on the part'of the oper- -ator.

In the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example, 7

Fig. 1 being a side elevation of the machine, showing a shoe in operative position for trimming the form;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, the shoe being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine to a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 1;

Fig. is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine to a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing a portion of the upper of the shoe and the form in section;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section to a still larger scale through the horn which carries the cutter;

The hollow forms thus referred Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the work support;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on a line 7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8'is a side elevation illustrating a series of interchangeable gauge members;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modified and preferred form of the machine;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical section through the cutter-supporting horn of the machine of Fig. 9, drawn to somewhat larger scale than the latter figure;

Fig. 11 is a section on line 11-11 of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12is'a fragmentary section illustrating adetail of the. driveshaft.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the base of the machine, such base being adapted to rest uponand to be secured to a bench or other suitable support 2. A standard 3 rises from the base and carries an elongate overhanging arm 4:. At a point intermediate the ends of the arm 4 a bracket 5 depends from the latter, such bracket being integral with the arm as here shown, or formed as a separate element and secured to the arm, as may be desired.

The lower end of the bracket 5 is provided with a socket for the reception of one end of an elongate tubular horn 6. The free end of this horn is clo'sedby a cap or housing 7 which is removable from the mainbody of the horn as hereafter described. The horn 6 supports an elongate bearing 8 (Fig. 5) having an eccentric bore forming a journal for the cutter shaft 9. The bearing 8 pro jects beyond the end of the body portion of the horn 6 and the cap 7 is slipped over this projecting end of the bearing and is remoyably secured in position by means of a pin or bolt 10. I

The cap 7 is provided with a bearing for the outer end 11 of the shaft 9 while the opposite end of this shaft is j ournalledin a suit able bearing 12 sup-ported bythe standard 3. The shaft 9 extends through the standard 3 and is furnished with a drive pulley 13. This pulley may be driven by a belt from any convenient source of power or the pulley may be replaced by an electric motor or other driving means directly connected to the shaft 9.

Preferably the end 11 of the shaft 9-is flattened or slabbed off on at least one side, and preferably at opposite sides, as shown at 14 and 15 (Fig. 7) thus forming in effect a spline for driving a disk-like cutter 16. The upper wall of the cap 7 is furnished with a slot 17 to expose a segment of the edge of the cutter 16.

In assembling the parts the cap 7 is first removed, the cutter is then placed within the cap with its edge projecting through the slot 17 and with its central opening, which is of substantially the same shape as the end portion of the shaft 11, in axial alignment with the bearing in the cap. The cap with the cutter is then slipped on over the shaft end 11 until the cap is properly seated on the end of the bearing 8. The pin 10 is then inserted, thus holding the parts in operative position.

The free end of the overhanging arm 4 1s provided with a vertical groove for the reception of the vertically adjustable work-support 18. This work-support is held in proper position by means of a plate 19 secured by screws or otherwise to the end face of the arm 4. The upper end of the work-support 18 is provided with a screw-threaded portion 20 engaging an adjusting nut 21 having a flange 22 which is disposed beneath a retaining finger 23 carried by the plate 19. Rotation of the nut 21 thus raises and lowers the work-support 18.

The work-support 18 is provided at its lower end with a foot 24, preferably of wedge shape, tapering from its attachment to the work-support proper toward its free extremity 25. The upper face 26 of this foot is inclined and forms a support for the shoe upper while the lower face of the foot is preferably provided with a boss 27 which is directly opposed to the cutter 16 and which is preferably provided with a groove or slot '28 for the reception of the edge of the cutter.

In order properly to position work of vari-ous kinds upon the work-support, I may, as shown in Fig. 8, provide a series of interchangeable gauge members 29, 29 29", 29, etc. of difi'erent thicknesses. Any selected one of these gauge members may be secured to the face of the work-support 18 by means of a screw 30 and the right-hand face of this gauge, as viewed in Fig. 4, determines the position of the egde of the shoe upper.

In Fig. 1 a shoe is designated by the numeral 31, such shoe having an upper 32 and being shown as having a hollow form 33 disposed within it. In this figure the machine is shown in the act of trimming the upper portion of the form, the part already trimmed off being indicated at 33.

Referring to Fig. 4, the edge of the shoe upper is indicated at 34, such edge bearing against the outer surface of the gauge 29.

The foot 24 is positioned between the upper 32 and the form 33 and the cutter is indicated as severing the portion 33 to the form from the main body thereof along a line which lies 111 a plane disposed inside of the edge 34 of the upper. The distance of the line of cut from the edge 34 of the upper may be varied by interchanging the gauge 29 for another gauge of the series furnished.

Since the foot 24 is positioned between the upper and the form it protects the upper of the shoe from contact with the cutter and thus guards the upper against injury. Moreover,

since only a small portion of the cutter projects through a slot 17 of the cap or housing 7, there is no danger that the cutter will strike the form except at the desired cutting point, so that injury to the form is thus prevented.

The cutter is rotated at high speed and tends to feed the work along so that little effort on the part of the operator is required to move the work relatively to the horn. The work-support may be adjusted vertically in acordance with the thickness of the form and the diameter of the cutter and since the cutter is carried by an overhanging horn no diffieulty is experienced in following the curves of the upper of the shoe.

In the modified and preferred construction illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive corresponding parts are designated by thesame reference numerals as in the preceding figures and the description of such parts need not be repeated.

In this modified construction the cutter carrying shaft comprises telescoping sections 9 and 9 the latter being tubular and receiving the left-hand end of the shaft 9 The latter shaft is journalled in a suitable bearing in the horn 6, while the section 9" is journalled in the upright member 3 of the frame.

The shaft section 9 carries the drive pulley 13, at one side of the upright 3 while at the other side of the upright it is furnished with a fixed collar 35. The left-hand end of the tubular shaft section 9 is closed by means of a plug 36 fixedly connected to the shaft. This plug is provided at its outer end with a diametra-l slot 37 adapted to receive the flattened end portion 38 of the shaft 39 of a motor 40 which is mounted upon the base 1. While this motor drive is preferred, it is obvious that the motor may be dispensed with and the shaft section 39 driven by means of a belt engaging the pulley 13.

A compression spring 41 is enclosed within the tubular shaft 9 one end of the spring bearing against the plug 36 and the other agalnst a pin 42 projecting transversely through the shaft section 9. This spring tends to move the shaft section 9" to the right, as viewed in Fig. 10, and such movement is limited by means of a stop collar 43 which is engageable with the bracket 5. lar is preferably provided with a knurled outer surface and constitutes a handle for moving the shaft tothe left in opposition to the spring 41.

The right-hand end of the shaft 9 is slabbed off or flattened as indicated at 44 and is adapted to enter a suitably shaped This stop colopening in the cutter disk 16, the connection between the disk and cutter being such that, while the shaft may be withdrawn axially from the cutter, it positively drives the cutter when engaged therewith. For convenience this connection will be termed a splined con nection in the further description.

The cutter disk 16 is received in a narrow radial slot in the right-hand end of the horn 6, it being observed that the journal opening for the shaft is eccentric to the horn at the end portion of the latter, so that while the edge of the cutter projects above the horn it does not project below the lower face of the horn. As the slot extends from top to bottom of the horn the cutter may drop freely down through the slot when the shaft is withdrawn.

The pin 42 is disposed within a radial slot 45 in the collar 35, the pin and collar constituting the driving connection between the shaft section 9 and the shaft 9,. Preferably the collar is provided with diametrally opposite recesses 46 and 46 in the Walls of the slot which receive the opposite ends of the pin 42 when the latter is in driving position and thus to a certain extent provide a lock for the shaft 9 to prevent accidental axial movement.

In this modified construction the interchangeable gauge members of Fig. 8 are replaced by a single adjustable gauge member 47. This gauge member is provided with a pair of rigid stems 48 and 49 inclined to the vertical and which slide in. suitable guide openings in the support 18. The gauge 47 is also furnished with a screw-threaded adjusting stem 50 provided with an adjusting nut 51 by means of which the gauge may be moved toward and from the support 18, the lower end of the gauge following the upper inclined surface of the foot 24.

This modified form of the machine functions in substantially the same way as that shown in Figs. 1 to 8 but for removing the cutter for replacement or sharpening it is sim ply necessary to grasp the collar 43 between the thumb and finger and after slightly rotating the shaft to release the pin from the recesses 46 and 46 the shaft 9 may be moved to the left to disengage its end 44 from the. cutter disk. The latter then drops freely down through the slot and out of the horn and a fresh cutter may be placed in operative position by inserting it into the upper end ofthe slot and turning theshaft slightly by hand until the end of the shaft properly engages the opening in the cutter.

WVhile certain specific arrangements have herein been described as desirable for carrying the invention into effect, I contemplate that various changes in shape and proporion of parts may be made as desired or that equivalent elements may be substituted for those here illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A machine for trimming hollow shoe forms comprising a rotary disk cutter, a substantially stationary work support opposed to the edge of the cutter, means supporting the cutter so as to permit it to be entered within a hollow form disposed in the forepart of a lasted shoe whereby the cutter may trim ofi surplus material at the edge of the form, said work support having means for guarding the shoe upper from injury by the cutter.

2. A machine for trimming hollow shoe forms comprising a horn adapted to be inserted within a hollow form disposed in a shoe, a rotary disk cutter carried by the horn for trimming surplus material from the edge of the form, and a normally stationary work support opposed to the edge of the cutter, said support having means for guarding the shoe upper from the cutter.

3. A machine for trimming hollow shoe forms comprising a horn adapted to be inserted within a hollow form disposed in a slice, a rotary disk cutter carried bythe horn for trimming surplus material from the edge of the form, and means for protecting the shoe upper from injury by the cutter, the edge of the cutter being guarded from contact with the form except at the desired cutting point.

4. A machine for trimming hollow shoe forms comprising a rotary disk cutter; means supporting the cutter to permit it to engage with the inner surface of a hollow form disposed within a shoe,a stationary work support opposed to the edge of the cutter, said support having means for guarding the shoe upper form the cutter, and gauge means for determining the listance between the edge of the shoe upper and the plane of the cutter.

5. A machine for trimming hollow shoe forms comprising a rotary disk cutter engageable with the inner surface of a hollow shoe form disposed within a shoe, means for drivin the cutter, a work support opposed to the edge of the cutter, said support having a guard interposable between the form the shoe upper to prevent engagement of the cutter with the upper of the shoe. and gauge member detachab-ly secured to the guard, said gauge member determining the distance to which the guard may enter below the edge of the shoe upper.

6. A machine fortrimming hollow shoe forms comprising a rotary cutter engageable with the inner surface of a hollow shoe form disposed within a shoe, meansfor driving the cutter, a guard interposable. between the form and the shoe upper to prevent engagement of the cutter witlrthe upper of the shoe,

the gauge member engaging the edge of the shoe upper to determine the spacing of such edge from the plane of the cutter.

7. A machine of the class described comprising a horn adapted to enter within a hollow form disposed inside of a shoe, a rotary cutter carried by the horn, the horn having a slot through which a small segment of the cutting edge of the blade is exposed, and a work support spaced radially from the exposed edge the blade, said work support being interposable between the form and the upper of the shoe.

8. A machine of the class described comprising a tubular horn, a shaft within the horn, a cutter disk secured to the shaft, the horn having a slotthrough which a portion of the edge of the cutter projects, a work support spaced radially from the exposed portion of the disk, and means for driving the shaft.

9. A machine of the class described comprising a tubular member having a narrow radial slot for the reception of a cutter disc, a rotary and axially movable shaft withii Said tubular member, one end of the shaft being shaped to slip into and have driving ongagement with a. cutter disc disposed within said slot, means for rotating the shaft, and means whereby the shaft may be moved endwise to disengage it from a cutter disposed in the slot.

10. A machine of the class described 6011b prising an elongate horn, a rotary and axially movable shaftextending lengthwise of the horn, one end of the shaft being shaped to lit within a non-circular aperture in a cutter disc, means engaging the opposite end of the shaftfor rotating the latter, means for retracting the shaft axially from its normal position, and means tending to retain the shaftin normal position.

11. A machine of the class described comprising an elongate tubular horn, a rotary and axially movable shaft disposed within the horn, the horn having a slot in that portion of its wall adjacent to the outer end of the shaft, a cutter disc splined to the shaft and having a portion of its edge projecting through the slot in the born, a Work support opposed to the exposed edge of the disc, and means whereby the shaft may be moved axially to disengage it from the cutter disc.

12. A machine of the class described comprising an elongate tubular born, a rotary and axially movable shaft within the horn, the outer end of the shaft being slabbed off on on side at least, a cutter disc mounted upon the slabbed off end portion of the shaft, the horn having a slot in its wall through which a segment of the cutting edge of the disk may project, and means whereby the shaft may be moved axially to disengage it from the cutter.

13. A machine of the class described comprising an elongate tubular horn, a rotary and axially movable shaft disposed within the horn, a. cutter disk splined to the end of the shaft and removable from the shaft by retraction of the shaft from its normal position, the horn having a slot in that portion of its wall through which a segment of the disk is exposed, and a work support opposed to the edge of the cutter and having a slot in its surface for the reception of the edge of the cutter.

let. A machine of the class dos-c 'ibed having a drive shaft compr sing telescoping sections, bearings for the shaft, means for retating one of the shaft sections, means transmitting rotary movement from the first section to the second section, yielding means tending to move the second section in an axial direction relatively to the first section, mains whereby the second section maybe moved axially in the opposite direction, and a cutter disc having a spline connection with the second shaft section.

15. A machine of the class described comprising a standard provided with an overhanging arm, a work support carried by the arm, a shaft spaced from and substantially parallel to the arm, a rotary cutter adjacent to the end of the shaft, means for driving the shaft, the cutter being of such diameter and so spaced from the standard as to permit it to enter the forepart of a lasted shoe engaging the work support, and means for adjusting the work support toward and from the edge of the cutter.

16. A machine of the class described comprising a standard, an elongate overhanging arm, a work support carried by the arm, a shaft spaced from but substantially parallel to the arm, a cutter disk adjacent to the end of the shaft, means for driving the shaft. the cutter disk being spaced from the standard sufficiently to permit it to enter the forepart of a lasted shoe engaging the work support. said Work support having a substantially wedge shaped foot opposed to the edge of the cutter disk and adapted to enter between a part to be cut and. an adjacent part to be pr0- tected from the cutter.

17. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting standard having an elongate overhanging arm, a bracket depending from the arm intermediate its ends, atubular horn secured at one end in said bracket and extending substantially parallel to the arm, a shaft journaled in the horn and in a bearing in the standard, a cutter disk secured to the shaft near the end of the horn, and a work support adjustably attached to the free end of the arm and having a surface opposed to the edge of the cutter.

Signed by me at Auburn, New York, this 13th day of August 1926.

lVILLIAM J. DE lVITT. 

